Barn Foreman Killed When Kicked by Horse

Lafayette Wilson, 63, the barn foreman for trainer Thad Ackel, was killed Friday morning when kicked by a horse he was working.

Taken to Scripps La Jolla Hospital after being treated at the scene, Wilson underwent emergency surgery but was pronounced dead of massive chest injuries at 9:40 a.m.

Wilson, who had worked for Ackel for many years and was the groom for Great Communicator, was struck full force by the rear legs of one horse who was kicking at another. The Inglewood resident had been in the winner’s circle Wednesday after Rudiment broke his maiden in the second race.

Skip Park, a veterinarian who saw the incident, said: “I heard the two horses acting up and I turned just in time to see the one horse try to kick the other, but he hit Lafayette instead. (Wilson) was breathing erratically and his pulse was so weak that I started CPR on him just as the paramedics got there.”